City disaster office says: Binaliw landfill is not yet safe

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City’s disaster office has raised serious safety concerns over the Binaliw landfill, warning that the facility cannot yet be considered safe for sustained operations due to deficiencies in fire protection, methane venting, slope stability and sanitation.

The assessment by the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CCDRRMO) came as the City Council scrutinized the possible resumption of garbage disposal at the landfill operated by Prime Integrated Waste Solutions Cebu Inc.

Engineer Elpidio “Jhun” Tariman Jr., who represented CCDRRMO during an executive session of the council yesterday, said inspectors found several safety gaps during their inspection last week.

“During our inspection (last week), we did not observe adequate early warning devices such as sirens or blinkers, nor sufficient barriers, safety signages, and markings, particularly to restricted or potentially high-risk areas,” Tariman said.

Fire suppression facilities were also lacking.

“We have observed that fire suppression facilities and equipment were inadequate during the inspection. Specifically, we did not observe fire hydrants, fire extinguishers, and fire hoses in the areas inspected,” he added.

CCDRRMO also flagged the landfill's towering slopes and elevated terrain, saying a proper engineering and geotechnical assessment is needed before sustained operations can resume.

“We observed significant landfill benching and elevated terrain within the facility. At this point, CCDRRMO is not making a definitive engineering conclusion regarding the structural or geotechnical stability of these slopes. However, given the configuration and elevation of the landfill, we believe that an appropriate engineering and geotechnical assessment is necessary,” Tariman explained.

He stressed that rehabilitation work remains ongoing and that the facility must undergo continuous monitoring and verification before full-scale operations are allowed.

“Continuous monitoring and verification will be necessary to determine whether the required safety and risk reduction measures are actually completed and maintained before full-scale and sustained operations are undertaken,” he said.

Inspectors also found no disinfection area for workers and garbage trucks.

Councilors further pressed CCDRRMO on the presence of methane vent pipes, a critical safety feature in a landfill.

Tariman said none were observed during the inspection because the operator denied inspectors access to the upper portions of the facility.

Leachate piping was also only partially connected to a retention pond, raising further concerns about wastewater management.

The landfill's height, estimated at around 100 meters or roughly equivalent to a 33-storey building, also alarmed councilors.

They warned that the massive pile of garbage could absorb rainwater “like a sponge,” increasing the risk of slope failure.

Councilors agreed that the landfill could only be considered safe after all deficiencies identified by CCDRRMO have been addressed.

“We can see based on our inspection that there are identified risk factors and safety gaps that require corrective measures and further critical evaluation. We believe that definite engineering intervention should be put in place, complemented by technical assessment,” Tariman told the council.

The hearing also exposed gaps in government oversight.

CCDRRMO disclosed that it has not been included in the multipartite monitoring team required by the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB).

Councilors also criticized EMB-7 and DENR-7 for failing to attend the session despite being invited.

Councilor Pastor Alcover described their absence as a “snub” and urged the council to file a complaint.

“They show no respect to the council. We lack critical information,” Alcover said.

The City Environment and Natural Resources Office attended the hearing but did not present an assessment report.

The Office of the Building Official (OBO), meanwhile, said permits involving the facility must also pass through the City Planning office, which had no representative at the session.

Architect Ann Ruby King, Cebu City’s acting building official, clarified that while the OBO issued a building permit and certificate of occupancy for a proposed three-storey material recovery and sanitary landfill facility in Sitio Kainsikan, her office has no mandate to certify geotechnical stability, slope stability, waste-mass stability or environmental compliance.

The OBO noted that excavation and reconfiguration were reportedly undertaken to reduce loading stress by removing waste from the upper portion of the landfill.

King said Prime Waste must secure all required permits under Presidential Decree No. 1096, or the National Building Code of the Philippines, and submit schematic diagrams of the landfill to the council.

Prime waste responds

Prime Waste manager Niño Abellana said liners were installed at the site and denied that garbage remained beneath the excavated areas. He said the EMB would not allow such a condition.

Abellana said compaction measures were being used to maximize the landfill's capacity, which he estimated at up to 151,000 metric tons, depending on compaction rates.

“If the cell is full, we will not place waste on top,” Abellana assured.

Councilors, however, demanded methane vent pipes across all levels of the landfill and questioned whether compacted and uncompacted waste was being properly managed.

Abellana maintained that both were present, although some were not visible during the inspection. He said soil layers were added for stabilization and cited ongoing wastewater treatment works and detention ponds for leachate management.

The renewed scrutiny comes months after a massive trash slide at the Binaliw landfill on January 8, 2026, killed dozens and injured many others.

The tragedy prompted DENR-EMB 7 to issue a cease-and-desist order against Prime Waste.

The closure forced Cebu City to haul its garbage to Consolacion and later to Aloguinsan, costing the city millions of pesos daily. The CDO has since been lifted. — (FREEMAN)